Compare the2026 Volvo XC60VS 2025 Audi Q6 e-tron

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Volvo XC60 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Audi Q6 e-tron doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Volvo XC60 offers optional built in child booster seats. They’re more crash worthy than an added child seat because of their direct attachment to the seat. Audi doesn’t offer the convenience and security of a built-in child booster seat in the Q6 e-tron. Their owners must carry a heavy booster seat in and out of the vehicle; XC60 owners can just fold their built-in child seat up or down.

The Volvo XC60 has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Q6 e-tron doesn’t offer knee airbags.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the XC60 deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The XC60’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Q6 e-tron’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

The XC60 has a standard Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS), which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the WHIPS allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. At the same time the pretensioning seatbelts fire, removing slack from the belts. The Q6 e-tron doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The XC60 has standard CTA Auto Brake that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Q6 e-tron doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the XC60. But it costs extra on the Q6 e-tron.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the XC60’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Q6 e-tron doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

Both the XC60 and the Q6 e-tron have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

Volvo pays for scheduled maintenance on the XC60 for 2 years and 20,000 miles. Volvo will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Audi only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Q6 e-tron.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Volvo vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. With 11 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Volvo higher than Audi.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Volvo vehicles are more reliable than Audi With 31 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Volvo higher than Audi.

As tested in Motor Trend the XC60 T8 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Q6 e-tron Premium Quattro electric motors:

The XC60 T8 Extended Range’s maximum EPA estimated range on a full tank and a full charge is 561 miles, after which it can be refueled at any gas station in minutes. The Q6 e-tron’s range is only 275 to 321 miles, after which the minimum time to recharge is 21 minutes for only an 80% charge at a specially configured quick charge station not available in most areas. A full recharge at a professionally installed 220-volt charging station can take up to 11 hours and 30 minutes.

For better stopping power the XC60 T8 Polestar Engineered’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Q6 e-tron:

For better traction, the XC60’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Q6 e-tron (265/35R22 vs. 255/50R20).

The XC60’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Q6 e-tron Ultra’s standard 65 series front tires. The XC60’s optional tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Q6 e-tron SQ6’s optional 45 series front and 40 series rear tires.

The XC60 B6 has a standard space-saver spare (not available on T8) so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Q6 e-tron; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed. Some tire options on the Q6 e-tron don’t have a run-flat feature, either.

The XC60 B5 Core handles at .87 G’s, while the Q6 e-tron Prestige Quattro pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the XC60’s turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the Q6 e-tron’s (37.4 feet vs. 39.7 feet).

The Volvo XC60 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 750 to 950 pounds less than the Audi Q6 e-tron.

The design of the Volvo XC60 amounts to more than styling. The XC60 has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .32 Cd. That is lower than the Q6 e-tron (.32 to .33) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the XC60 get better fuel mileage.

The XC60 has 1.7 inches more front legroom and .6 inches more rear legroom than the Q6 e-tron.

The XC60 has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Q6 e-tron with its rear seat folded (63.3 vs. 60.2 cubic feet).

Standard Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) on the XC60 uses the Dynamic Stability and Traction Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Q6 e-tron doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Q6 e-tron, the XC60 Ultra/Polestar has a passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the XC60 has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Q6 e-tron only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Volvo XC60, based on reliability, safety and performance.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the XC60 as the 2018 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The Q6 e-tron has never been chosen.

The Volvo XC60 outsold the Audi Q6 by almost 20 to one during 2024.